Pear Sorbet with Cardamom and Vanilla

On Monday I published prototype recipe (nothing else, not even a picture) for a pear sorbet. At the end of the week, I’m bringing to you now the proper recipe. This pear sorbet has the flavours of cardamom and vanilla – and goes really well with white chocolate (more on that later).

To give a brief recap of what happened, my finger accidentally slipped across the publish button when I was using the WordPress iOS app. I often use my iPad as a computer and use the WordPress app to compose posts and revise them until they’re ready for publishing, including formatting code. I even upload images to insert in posts with the app after I’ve edited them with Snapseed and saved to my camera roll. (I will also use the WP app on my iPod touch, but generally for when I’m more on the go.) I also approve and respond to comments with the app. Basically, most of my blogging is done on mobile. I think it will be even more so now since WordPress rolled out the newest app update that basically includes everything.

I decided to poach the pears after reading a recipe for a poached pear sorbet in Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams at Home by Jeni Britton Bauer. Originally I was just going to blend all the ingredients together, but poaching allows the pears to become infused with the cardamom and other ingredients. The pear juice made from poaching is also equally tasty. The recipe for this pear sorbet that I’m sharing now has been developed slightly further than the one accidentally leaked earlier this week.

Now that I’ve made this sorbet, the flavour would work really well with other flavours. Right now I’m imagining something creamy and vanilla with the pear and cardamom flavour – maybe even to poach the pears and serve them with vanilla ice cream (such as So Delicious coconut milk vanilla ice cream). The pear sorbet also goes really well with white chocolate – melt some white chocolate, cool it, and drizzle over your serving of sorbet. I don’t often use the adjective “heavenly” to describe food, but that’s what it is.

Pear Sorbet with Cardamom and Vanilla

Poaching infuses the pears with the spices, although cardamom is the more assertive and dominant flavour. I suggest adding another half to one extra teaspoon of vanilla if you want more of a balance between the two. Overripe pears are also fine to use in this sorbet. I used one overripe pear and three firm pears.

Stir all the ingredients together to combine in a small saucepan. Cook gently over medium heat, until the pears have softened slightly and their juices are released and the liquid has just started to bubble. (Liquid should be nearly level with the pears pieces.)

Remove from heat and cool slightly before blending into a purée with a hand blender. Blend until smooth.

Transfer to an airtight container and freeze until firm or ready to serve. This sorbet freezes faster than other sorbets I’ve made, so you don’t need to wait so long; only a few or so hours. If the sorbet is too hard to scoop (if frozen overnight), let it warm up and soften a bit on the counter before serving.

Thanks, Ricki! I was pleasantly surprised by this sorbet’s outcome, as was everyone else who tasted it. Let me know how it works out for you, I think you’d only need to substitute the honey to make it vegan. And yay for cardamom!

YUM, what a cool creation! 🙂 My name is Cindy and I blog over at Vegetarianmamma.com I wanted to invite you to link up your recipe at our Gluten Free Fridays Recipe Link up party! It happens every Friday and we’d love to have you join us with some of your awesome recipes! You can find this week’s link up here: http://vegetarianmamma.com/gluten-free-fridays-recipe-party-2/
Also be sure to link up your blog on our Gluten Free Bloggers directory. You can reach the directory by clicking the “glutenfree bloggers” tab on our blog! Thanks, Cindy 🙂